Mohamad Hisomuddin Bakar.
PETALING JAYA: Analysts are split in their views on whether Pakatan Harapan (PH) should offer a former state leader the chance to contest on the opposition ticket to win over Terengganu.
Most of them say PH should not extend an offer to former Terengganu menteri besar Ahmad Said as old leaders are seen as a burden due to their image and past baggage.
They added PH is not showing sincerity in reforming the state.
Ilham Centre’s executive director Mohamad Hisomuddin Bakar said it was a bad idea for the opposition to bring back “old baggage”.
“The move to get past BN leaders is not wise because PH has to bear the liabilities the politician brings over.
“Instead of ‘recycling’ leaders, the opposition should focus on giving the young a chance to serve the people,” he said.
Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad.
State PH chairman Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad recently said PH had made an offer to Ahmad to stand in the coming general election under the PH ticket.
He said the opposition would accept the former menteri besar if he shares PH’s view in toppling BN in the state.
“We can’t make any big or extraordinary offer, so it’s up to him whether to accept it or not,” Raja Bahrin said.
Hisomuddin added many things had changed since 2013 and Ahmad’s glory days ended the day he left office in 2014.
“The young people want to see what fresh things the opposition can offer. If PH cannot offer something current, then the young ones will not support the opposition,” he said.
Azmi Hassan.
Geostrategist Azmi Hassan said the PH offer to Ahmad does not reflect PH’s sincerity in wanting to govern the state when it comes to power.
“I see the offer as making use of Ahmad’s dissatisfaction when he was removed unceremoniously as MB and not as a good choice for the Terengganu people.”
Instead, Azmi said PH must work to prove its new coalition can govern the state.
“The locals are used to Umno and PAS as their only two choices in every general election. PH is still new in the state.”
He said as a new coalition, PH should work hard.
Universiti Malaya’s Associate Prof Awang Azman Pawi offered an opposing view, stating that Ahmad is still an influential person and able to boost PH’s chances of taking over the Terengganu government.
“He still has many supporters and can be a threat to BN or PAS if he joins the other side,” he told FMT.
Prof Awang Azman Pawi.
Azman said the three-term Kijal assemblyman can woo the locals with his “Ahmad factor” in fighting against PAS and bringing in more votes for the opposition.
“He may also bring BN assemblymen back into the PH fold,” he added.
Umno now has 17 state seats in the east coast state, compared with 14 seats held by PAS and one by PKR.
Ahmad had quit his positions as menteri besar and Umno member in May 2014 and was replaced by Ahmad Razif Abd Rahman. He later retracted his decision to leave Umno.
In 2016, he tabled a motion of no confidence against Razif in the state assembly but the motion was dismissed because Ahmad failed to give two weeks’ notice.
Ahmad had pushed for Razif’s removal, citing that the people no longer supported his successor.
He denied cooperating with PAS. -FMT
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